Improvement in pencil-sharpeners



H. G. DOWNS. i Pencil-Sharp eeee s.

. No. 207,402; Patented Aug. 27.1878.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEI-oE.

HERMAN G. DOWNS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF. ONE-HALF HIS RIGHT TOCHARLES W. RHODES, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEM ENT IN PENCIL-SHARPENERS.

' Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 207,402, dated August27, 1878 application filed.

July 25, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERMAN Gr. DOWNS, of New York, county of New York,and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Pencil- Sharpeners, of which the following is a full, clear, andexact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, andto the letters of reference marked thereon.

Figure 1 is a perspective view, enlarged, of apencil having my improvedsharpener applied thereto, and "Fig. 2 is a similar view ofthei'sharpener detached. Fig. 3 is a plan of the blank from whichsharpener shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is made. Fig. 4 is aperspective view ofa sharpener constructed in accordance with my invention, and having thecuttingedge made in spiral form. Fig. 5 is a plan of a blank cut so asto form the device shown in Fig. 4.

Like letters in all the figures .indicate corresponding parts.

The object of my invention is to produce a simple, eflieient, andcomparatively inexpensive pencil-sharpener, which may, if desired, beallowed to remain upon the pencil while the latter is being used; and toaccomplish this the invention consists in certain peculiarities ofconstruction and arrangements of parts, as will be hereinafter firstfully described, and then pointed out in the claims.

The body of the sharpeneris conical in shape, as shown in Figs. 1, 2,and 4, to conform to the desired point on the pencil. Above this bodyare two spring-arms, a a, the elasticity of which serves to hold thesharpener upon the pencil. These springs clasp the pencil above theconical or cut-away portion at the point, and they are thus enabled tohold the sharpener with a uniform grasp.

. The device is preferably formed by employment of a blank piece ofmetal, cut out as in Figs. 3 and 5, wherein it will be observed that thearms a care separated from the body I) by a little distance. While inthe flat position an edge of the blank may be ground down mostconveniently to form the desired cuttingedge. The blank is also cut orgrooved by a series of channels for the purpose of forming a roughenedsurface upon the exterior of the sharpener when completed, thusrendering it easy to turn the same upon the pencil in performing thesharpening operation; The blank is then bentup into the proper shape toform the completed article. By this mode of manufacture the cost of thedevice is made very little; but for all essential purposes of theinvention the device may be cast or otherwise formed.

The springs a a operate independently of the conical or cutting portionof the sharpener-that is, they will continue to bear upon the uncutportion of the pencil, although the cutting-edge may be sprung out orin, as will occur when the pencil is being sharpened. In this theimproved device is essentially different from that class of sharpenerswherein the cutting-edge is a mere continuation of one edge of theholding-spring, or wherein the cutter is formed upon a continuation ofthe holding-sprin g.

The invention is also to be distinguished from that class of sharpenerswherein a screw forces or draws the cutter against the point of thepencil. In this latter form great nicety of adjustment is required, inorder to make the upward movement of the sharpener correspond with theamount of material cut away; and it is found that when the cutter isremoved the pencil is disfigured by a spiral groove made by theadvancing screw.

As in Figs. 4 and 5, it is intended to cut the knife-edge obliquely, orso that it will wind about the point of the pencil in a partial spiral.Some advantage in the cutting capacity of the device may be derived fromadoption of this form, though for all practical purposes the form shownin Figs. 1 and 2, it is believed, will be found sufficient. Afterbending up of the blank it should be properly tempered.

dis a narrow neck, which joins the springarms a a with the main portionof the body, and the plain portion at 0 indicates the cutting-edge.

When constructed in accordance with the foregoing description the devicemay be left on the pencil, where it will operate as aprotector to thepoint, which in use will project through the upper open end of the body,or it may be used as are all ordinary sharpeners; and it is sides, andhaving curved arms a a connected found to admirably answer the severalpurtherewith by the narrow neck d, as and for the poses of theinvention. purposes set forth.

As before intimated, I am aware of previ- 2. The herein-describedpencil-sharpener, ously-existing sharpeners intended to remainconsisting of the conical body b, open at both upon the pencil, beingheld thereon by springs ends, and provided with a cutting-edge, c, andand screws. I am also aware of numerous curved spring-arms a a, unitedwith the body forms wherein the knife-edge is made separate by a narrowneck, d, which arms confine the from the body. To these forms I desireit unsharpener upon the pencil, as and for the purderstood that I lay noclaim; but, poses set forth.

Having now fully described my invention, In testimony that I claim theforegoing I what I do claim as new, and desire to secure by havehereunto set my hand in the presence of Letters Patent, is-- twowitnesses.

1. The herein-described blank for a pencil- HERMAN Gr. DOWNS. sharpener,the same being formed substan- Witnesses: tially as shownthat is to say,with the upper WM. H. DOWNS,

and lower concentric curves joined by inclined CHAS. K. SEARLE.

